US Army Contingency Plan for Bullet-Proof Vest Manufacture

Industrial Air Solutions rose to the challenge of providing a solution to harmful fumes and VOCs in a matter of weeks…

Industrial Air Solutions was approached by the US Army to help provide a solution to harmful fumes and VOC’s being generated by 40 soldering stations that were working around the clock on an emergency contingency plan to manufacture new light-weight bullet-proof vests. Each station was emitting a sticky fume from melting polyester and metal alloys that usually overwhelm conventional filtration devices in no time, so we had to come up with a “Source-Capture” filtration solution that would allow the Army Technicians to solder around the clock without stopping to clean filters. We suggested our PDB1500 Portable Fume Booth with a custom filtration solution to absorb the sticky fumes into the hood placed 6” – 8” away from the Soldering Iron. The fumes then passes through 2 stages of Pre-Filtration and into a 24”x24”x12” 95% Glass-Filled ASHRAE Filter (for sticky fumes) and then into 56 lbs. of Activated Carbon (for odors), and finally a HEPA Final-Filter (for particulate), and then out through the exhaust as breathable clean air.

This was an emergency contingency plan that had to be completed within 2 months of the day we received the first inquiry. The 20 Fume Collection units and 40 Articulating Arms needed to be manufactured and shipped across the country within 30 days or this deadline wasn’t going to be met. Fortunately we had over 50% of the equipment in stock and we were able to build the rest and ship everything out within 3 weeks, the project was a success for the US Army, and for Industrial Air Solutions.

Industrial Air Solutions has 20,000 sq ft of Dust Collection and vacuum Equipment that is ready to ship within 24 hours of receiving an order. In the case of Sierra Army Depot they needed a custom solution that typically has a lead time of several months. We were able to turn this around in a matter of weeks!

This particular customer didn’t have a need for Explosion-Proof but the standard unit is suitable for most Class 2 Applications.

We also offer several options for the PDB such as Single Phase Cl 1 Grp D/ Cl 2 Grp F&G 1.5 HP Explosion-Proof Motor and NEMA 7/9 Starter. Our Portable Collectors and Vacuums safe to use in most NFPA Hazardous Locations. Call us to discuss your application!